The ingestion of liquid into a cell by the budding of small vesicles from the cell membrane.
- Cells use pinocytosis to take up TCII hydroxocobalamin.
- However, small areas of low emission could be found in the cytoplasm, showing that the compound was taken up by the cells, probably by pinocytosis.
- It is possible that the chemical can gain entry into cells as small, colloidal particles via phagocytosis or pinocytosis and may also enter dead, dying or damaged cells.
- Example sentences
- Abundant basal lamina, interdigitating cell membrane, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and pinocytotic vesicles were seen in all 3 cases.
- The cells had dense basal lamina with pinocytotic vesicles along their surface and numerous cytoplasmic thin microfilaments with dense bodies.
- Electron microscopic examination showed spindle cells containing fine filaments associated with focal densities and pinocytotic vesicles, indicating rudimentary smooth muscle cell differentiation.
Late 19th century: from Greek pino 'drink' + -cytosis on the pattern of phagocytosis.
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